Shower curtain support device

ABSTRACT

A shower curtain support comprises a non-circular curtain rod and a plurality of non-circular sliding shower rings. Selected rings include depending rib members which hold the shower curtain away from the shower or bathing area. The non circularity of the engaging curtain rod and sliding rings prevent relative rotation, so that the dependent ribs continually push the curtain out avoiding “billowing” and undesired, unhygienic contact with the skin of the user.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application replaces and claims priority from ProvisionalApplication No. 60/618,176 filed on Oct. 14, 2004 and entitled “SHOWERCURTAIN SUPPORT DEVICE”, hereby incorporated herein in its entirety byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a curtain supporting device and the componentsthereof, particularly for preventing a shower curtain from blowinginwardly against a person taking a shower (“billowing”) and forassociated hygienic reasons. Additionally, the supporting device holdsthe curtain in an outward displacement, effectively enlarging theshowering area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A familiar annoyance to a person showering in a tub or stall equippedwith a conventional shower curtain (circular rod and circular rings) isthe tendency of the curtain to be drawn inwardly into the shower spaceduring shower use.

A number of shower curtain supports, control devices and adapters havebeen made which provide supporting frames or arms mounted to a showerrod to hold the curtain away from the shower spray. See for example U.S.Pat. No. 2,878,487 (Foote); U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,520 (Tyconik); U.S. Pat.No. 5,007,120 (Annand); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,306 (Gummin). With theseand similar arrangements, the curtain rod and rings holding the showercurtain are of conventional circular contour and the supporting meansare pivotally or otherwise mounted to the shower rod independently ofthe circular shower rings.

I have found that simple and effective shower control can be achieved byproviding a shower rod of a non-circular cross-section and a pluralityof likewise non-circular sliding rings, some of which are provided withintegral arms or rib members to push the shower curtain outward. Thenon-circular rings are precluded, by their shape and fit over thecurtain rod, from rotating about the rod axis, so that thecurtain-holding ribs on selected of the curtain rings are held outwardto support the curtain as desired.

Use of a shower curtain support device according to my inventionminimizes the need for skin contact with a shower curtain. Particularlywith shower curtains in hotels, the wish to avoid touching the showercurtains is not mere fastidiousness. It has been established that the“soap scum” accumulated on vinyl shower curtains over time containsignificant microbial populations, including potential opportunisticpathogens. A study published by Kelley et al, In Applied EnvironmentalMicrobiology, July 2004, pp. 4187-4192 concludes that the potentialopportunistic pathogens harboured in shower curtains can threatenimmune-compromised or otherwise ill patients in a hospital environment.More generally, for immune-compromised people any consistent exposure tosources of infection, such as shower curtains, constitutes a publichealth problem. While exposure can be minimized by regular cleaning orby changing shower curtains, that is often a matter out of the controlof the shower user.

Other features of the invention and the advantages resulting therefromwill become from the following description, and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described merely by way of illustration withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a shower curtain rod, with ribbed andunribbed sliding rings, in use supporting a shower curtain;

FIG. 2 is a representation similar to FIG. 1, but with the rib-bearingrings removed, allowing the shower curtain to hang vertically;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 but depicting only the showerrod and the rib-bearing rings; and

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C show examples of non-circular contours which may beadopted for the shower rod and rings according to the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates the use of an adaptor sleeve which can be fitted overa conventional circular shower curtain rod to form a shower rod assemblyhaving a non-circular contour for use in a shower curtain support deviceaccording to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring first to FIG. 1 it will be seen that a shower curtain 10 isremovably attached to each of a plurality of non-circularcurtain-hanging rings 12 a which slide freely along a non-circularshower curtain rod 14. The attachment can be by the entirelyconventional expedient of providing the rings with springy openings (notshown) for looping the curtain holes 10 a onto the rings. At either end,rod 14 is mounted to the washroom walls or is otherwise supported byconventional means, not shown here. A few non-circular rings 12 b areprovided which include integral ribs 12 c projecting downwardly and thenoutwardly to support adjacent portions of the curtain and hold thecurtain as a whole out and away from the enclosure.

The non-circularity of rod and sliding rings prevents the ribs fromrotating about the rod and so resist the tendency of the shower curtainto be pulled inward when the shower is running. If the curtainpushing-out ribs 12 b are removed before the curtain is attached torings 12 a, the shower curtain hangs vertically as in a conventionalshower, as shown in FIG. 2.

In FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4A, the cross-sectional contour of rod 14 and thecircumscribing perimetrical contour of corresponding rib-bearing rings12 b is elliptical, but other non-circular cross-sections will work aswell, such as inverted triangular (4B) and rectangular (4C).

An assembly kit for a domestic bathtub/shower information for apparatusaccording to the invention could include one shower rod (non-circularaluminium or plastic), 3 curtain holding ring/rib supports; 12 hangingrings (non-circular) and two mountable end cups with non-circularcavities to receive the ends of the curtain rod.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIG.5, the conventional shower rod 16 of an existing shower stall assemblywith its circular cross-section 16 a can be retrofitted into anon-circular shower rod for use in the invention by means of a snap-fitadaptor 18 having a central part-circular channel 18 a therealong toreceive rod 16 in close fit. In FIG. 5, the adaptor is of an overallelliptical shape having vertical long axis 19. The assembled “composite”shower rod has a non-circular, substantially elliptical overall shape,and ribbed and un-ribbed slider rings accommodating to the overall shapewould be provided for use as described above.

The lining of channel 18 a may be advantageously provided with arubberized or other high-friction surface 18 b, to afford bettergripping between the adaptor and the original shower rod.

Providing supports for shower curtains according to the presentinvention promises particular utility in hotels and other publicinstallations, where contact between the user and the shower curtain isundesirable. Where there is a large traffic of guests, there is thepossibility of skin disease transmission from the shower curtainsurface. Even where infection is less of a concern, i.e. for home usage,the holding rib system of the invention effectively enlarges the showerarea by preventing the billowing effect referred to above.

Although the invention has been particularly described with reference tothe embodiments shown in the drawings, it will be understood by one ofordinary skill that a number of variations and modifications in thedescribed and depicted structure are possible, particularly as to thenumber, size and shape of the rods, rings and rib components of theapparatus.

1. A shower curtain support device, comprising: a shower curtain rod forhorizontal mounting adjacent a shower or bathing area to suspend ashower curtain; and a plurality of curtain ring members slidablyengageable over said shower curtain rod and attachable at selectedpositions along the upper edge of the shower curtain for slidingmovement along the shower curtain rod, wherein the outer perimetricalcontour of the shower curtain rod and the inner perimetrical contour ofsaid ring members are non-circular and substantially congruent to eachother, to prevent rotational motion of said ring members about the longaxis of the curtain rod, and selected ring members of said pluralityinclude an integral depending rib member having a lower portionextending outwardly to bear against the inner face of said showercurtain, whereby the rib members hold the shower curtain away from saidshower or bathing area.
 2. A shower curtain support device according toclaim 1, wherein said non-circular contours of the shower curtain rodand the curtain rings are substantially elliptical.
 3. A shower curtainsupport device, wherein said non-circular contours of the shower curtainrod and the curtain rings are substantially in the shape of an invertedregular triangle.
 4. A shower curtain support device according to claim1, wherein said non-circular contours of the shower rod and the curtainrings are substantially rectangular.
 5. A shower curtain support deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein said shower curtain rod comprises jointlythe circular shower rod of a conventional shower installation and anadaptor sleeve having a part-circular recess along the length thereof toreceive said circular rod, thereby forming the shower curtain rod havinga non-circular outer perimetrical counter.
 6. A shower curtain supportdevice according to claim 5, wherein said adaptor sleeve is formed of aresilient plastic material and said circular shower rod is removablymountable with said part-circular recess in a snap fit.
 7. A showercurtain support device according to claim 6, wherein said part-circularrecess includes a high-friction liner for preventing rotation of saidadaptor sleeve relative to said circular shower rod.